The living room fell into a brief silence. Gu Xun didn’t speak immediately, and Zhang Ruoduo turned to look at Jiang Mo with questioning eyes—what’s going on here?
Jiang Mo quickly averted her gaze. Don’t look at me. Why are you looking at me? I’m just here for the drama. I have no idea what’s happening, and it’s not like I can just blurt it out.
“Hmm, a friend came over,” Gu Xun finally spoke. “Jiang Mo, go check inside the room.”
“Got it!” Jiang Mo seized the chance to slip away.
In the bedroom, Huo Nanyin was crouched on the floor, wiping up spilled water. Seeing Jiang Mo enter, she explained, “I was trying to take some painkillers and accidentally knocked over the glass.”
“No worries, it’s just a little water. I’ll clean it up.” The spill wasn’t much, and Jiang Mo quickly mopped it up with a cloth.
“I’ll bring you some fresh water.”
Huo Nanyin sat on the edge of the bed, looking like a delicate, fragile beauty. “Thank you.”
When Jiang Mo returned with hot water, Huo Nanyin took the painkillers and asked, “I heard voices outside. Did someone come over?”
Jiang Mo nodded. “Ah, yes. A classmate of Mr. Gu’s.”
Huo Nanyin didn’t say anything further.
Jiang Mo closed the door behind her as she left. Zhang Ruoduo spotted her and said, “Jiang Mo, I’m a bit thirsty. Could you pour me a glass of water?”
As Jiang Mo set the glass on the coffee table, she overheard Zhang Ruoduo remark, “Had I known there were guests, I wouldn’t have come. It’s either everyone shows up at once or no one does.”
Jiang Mo paused mid-motion. That line sounds awfully familiar.
Still, despite her words, Zhang Ruoduo remained firmly seated, not budging an inch.
Gu Xun glanced at her. “You didn’t mention you were coming.”
“Ahem, it was a last-minute decision. I was just passing by,” Zhang Ruoduo said, standing up to smooth her clothes. “I’ll go use the restroom.”
Once she left, Jiang Mo shook her head. This situation… is complicated.
“Had enough of the show?” Gu Xun asked abruptly.
“Ah… no,” Jiang Mo replied awkwardly. “I was just staying nearby in case you needed anything.”
Gu Xun rubbed the bridge of his nose. “What happened in the bedroom?”
Jiang Mo answered, “Miss Huo spilled some water earlier. She’s taken her medicine and is resting now.” Then, hesitantly, she added, “Mr. Gu, what should we do about… the current situation?”
Gu Xun looked puzzled. “What situation?”
Jiang Mo scratched her head. She’d been worried the two women might clash, but Gu Xun seemed utterly unfazed. Guess I was overthinking it.
Thinking fast, she said, “Oh, I meant… what should we do with these two boxes of peaches?”
Gu Xun let out a short, amused huff. “With you here, I doubt we’ll have to worry about wasting them.”
Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Like I’m some kind of bottomless pit? Though, admittedly, she had been concerned about the peaches going to waste.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Jiang Mo pulled it out and checked the message.
Zhang Ruoduo: Jiang Mo, there’s no toilet paper in the bathroom. Could you bring me a new roll?
“Huh? I could’ve sworn there was plenty left,” Jiang Mo muttered, but she grabbed a fresh roll and knocked on the bathroom door.
Zhang Ruoduo opened the door at the sound.
Jiang Mo had half-expected her to be in some awkward position, but she was fully dressed.
And—wait, wasn’t there still toilet paper inside?
“I thought I was out, but then I spotted some more,” Zhang Ruoduo explained, lightly grasping Jiang Mo’s wrist to pull her into the bathroom.
“Jiang Mo, who’s the friend in the bedroom? A guy or a girl?”
Ah, so this was a setup. She just wanted intel.
“A female classmate of Mr. Gu’s,” Jiang Mo replied, figuring Zhang Ruoduo wouldn’t let her leave without an answer.
“Oh,” Zhang Ruoduo said, washing her hands under the sensor tap. Slowly, she probed further, “A girl, huh? His girlfriend?”
Jiang Mo shook her head. “No idea.”
“How could you not know? You’re his housekeeper, and he brought her home.”
“Miss Zhang, I really don’t know,” Jiang Mo sighed. Why not just ask Gu Xun directly instead of grilling me?
She was here for the drama, but so far, she hadn’t even gotten a proper bite.
Zhang Ruoduo pulled a paper towel to dry her hands. “Did she arrive yesterday or today?”
Jiang Mo forced a smile. “Not sure. I only got here this afternoon.”
“I see,” Zhang Ruoduo said, adjusting her makeup in the mirror. “I have two concert tickets. You should take a friend.”
Assuming it was just small talk, Jiang Mo was surprised when Zhang Ruoduo actually pulled two tickets from her bag after leaving the bathroom.
Tickets to Chen Shen’s concert—a hot commodity, nearly impossible to snag.
Is she bribing me?
Under Gu Xun’s gaze, Jiang Mo put on a serious face. “Miss Zhang, these are too valuable. I can’t accept them.”
“Take them. I don’t have time to go, and it’d be a waste otherwise,” Zhang Ruoduo said, glancing at Gu Xun. “Your little housekeeper here is probably afraid you’ll disapprove.”
Gu Xun shrugged. “If you want to go, take them.”
With his permission, Jiang Mo accepted the tickets.
Gift delivered, yet she’s still not leaving. Guess she won’t back down until she meets the mystery guest.
She kept the thought to herself, but Gu Xun cut straight to the point. “If you’ve got other things to do, feel free to leave.”
“Nothing urgent. I’m pretty much done for the day,” Zhang Ruoduo replied. “Actually, Zhuge Shen just texted me. He’s on his way over.”
Jiang Mo: …This is getting messier by the minute.
After the food delivery arrived, Jiang Mo busied herself prepping ingredients in the kitchen.
Soon, the doorbell rang. The moment she opened it, Zhuge Shen craned his neck to peer inside.
“So? How’s the battlefield looking?”
“Brother Zhuge, here for the gossip, huh?” Jiang Mo rolled her eyes.
Zhuge Shen didn’t even try to hide it. “Obviously. Why else would I ditch my day off to come here? It’s not like I can’t get enough of Gu Xun’s face at work.”
Zhang Ruoduo had messaged him earlier: I’m at Gu Xun’s place, and there’s a girl here. Do you know anything? Wanna come?
Perfect, he’d thought. Nothing better to do. Might as well enjoy the show.
So he’d cast the line, and the fish had bitten.
“Who’s the other girl?”
Jiang Mo: “Her surname’s Huo.”
Zhuge Shen’s eyes widened. “Wait—Huo Nanyin?”
“Oh, you know her?” Jiang Mo blinked. “Who is she?”
Zhuge Shen lowered his voice dramatically. “Your Mr. Gu’s ex-girlfriend.”
“Zhuge Shen, what are you two whispering about at the door?” Gu Xun walked over, eyeing the pair.
“Nothing. Just changing my shoes,” Zhuge Shen said, bending down to swap into slippers.
The three of them were chatting in the living room while Jiang Mo bustled around in the kitchen, fully immersed in her tasks. Just then, Gu Ye sent her a message.
Gu Ye: "What are you up to at home? Did you overfeed the cat? It’s all fluff and chub now."
He attached two pictures of the cat.
Jiang Mo replied with two photos of the kitchen. "Cooking for Young Master Gu."
"You’re supposed to be resting. Why are you cooking for my brother?" Gu Ye shot back. "He can just order takeout if he’s alone."
Jiang Mo considered the current situation and sighed inwardly. There was no point explaining it to him.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Gu Xun teased Zhuge Shen. "Didn’t you always complain about overtime and how I overwork you? Why are you here on a weekend instead of resting?"
"Well, there’s no food at home, so I came to mooch off you," Zhuge Shen replied shamelessly. "You may mistreat me a thousand times, but I’ll still treat you like my first love."
"Ugh—no, I mean, you’ll always be my bro."
Deep down, Zhuge Shen had a million questions—like why Huo Nanyin was back, why she was at Gu Xun’s place, and whether the two had rekindled their old flame. But with Zhang Ruoduo present, he couldn’t just blurt them out.
So he kept them bottled up.
Having known Zhuge Shen for years, Gu Xun could easily guess what was on his mind—and the real reason for his sudden visit.
His thoughts drifted to the person in the bedroom. He wondered if she was feeling any better.
"I’ve never shortchanged you on salary. Don’t act like you can’t afford food," Gu Xun joked.
Zhuge Shen sighed dramatically. "I’ve got a whole family to feed. Gotta pinch pennies, unlike you two."
"Enough with the pity act," Zhang Ruoduo interjected. "Gu Xun has a friend resting in the room. Keep your voice down so you don’t wake them."
Naturally, the conversation turned to the person in the bedroom.
"Oh, Gu Xun, hiding a beauty in your golden chamber?" Zhuge Shen feigned ignorance.
At this, Gu Xun spoke up. "You know her too... Huo Nanyin."
"Of course, of course—your ex," Zhuge Shen said with a grin.
Beside him, Zhang Ruoduo also smiled, though her eyes remained cold. "So that’s who it is. No wonder you were keeping her out of sight."
Unaware of the growing crowd in the living room, Huo Nanyin remained in the bedroom. After taking medicine and resting for a while, she felt much better.
Once awake, she freshened up in the bathroom, changed into her own clothes, and tidied her appearance before stepping out slowly.
She hesitated upon hearing the voices in the living room—wondering whether she should join them.
Jiang Mo was the first to notice her. "Miss Huo, you’re up! Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, much better," Huo Nanyin nodded, walking into the living room.
She recognized Zhuge Shen immediately, and Zhang Ruoduo—being a celebrity—was unmistakable.
"Hello, everyone. I won’t disturb your conversation—I’ll head home now."
Zhuge Shen piped up, "Hey now, Huo Nanyin, it’s been years! When did you get back? Stay for dinner!"
Gu Xun’s gaze lingered on her. "I’ll drive you home after dinner."
